2015-21 NCAA Division II Strategic Plan

Addendum / January 2021 DIVISION II 300+ MEMBERS 23 CONFERENCES 120,000 STUDENT-ATHLETES 25 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 1 MISSION To provide value and significance for Division II members by supporting the purpose of higher education and striking a balance among academic excellence; athletics competition; community engagement; and social and personal development and wellness. As the 2015-21 Division II Strategic Plan enters its final scheduled year, the Division II Presidents Council and the Division II Planning and Finance Committee agreed to extend the plan through 2023 to align with the timing of several important Division II and NCAA initiatives.

Primarily, launching a successor plan in 2024 aligns procedurally with the next Division II Membership Census and the beginning of the next phase of the NCAA’s broadcast agreement. In addition, the current plan has proven to be effective and is consistently aligned with the Division II membership’s values to address operational needs, which supports extending the plan without risk.

This addendum highlights successful implementation to date of key initiatives that support the 2015-21 Division II Strategic Plan, outlines steps necessary to develop the next iteration of the plan, and illustrates action the Division II membership and governance structure took throughout 2020 to navigate the extraordinary circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic and keep the strategic plan on track.

DIVISION II STRATEGIC PLAN ADDENDUM 3 Our Plan In April 2015, Division II formally adopted a six-year strategic plan that builds upon the division’s unique attributes and a position of fiscal strength to guide future decisions. The plan supports Division II’s balanced and inclusive approach that affords student-athletes the opportunity to explore their varied academic and social interests, to grow as productive contributors to their communities.

The Division II Planning and Finance Committee oversaw a midterm assessment of the plan in 2018 based on results from the second Division II Membership Census to ensure that what the division committed to in 2015 remains on course. The midterm assessment reaffirmed the commitment to the plan’s mission and vision and to the values that drive them.

Even as the plan enters its sixth year, it continues to support Division II’s bedrock principles:

u Division II’s Life in the Balance philosophy, which over time has evolved into a stabilizing mantra that drives decision making and policy.

u The membership appreciates and intentionally promotes the division’s attributes to set themselves apart in a competitive higher education market.

u The governance structure continues to be trusted to manage the division’s affairs, especially in times of extreme need, as evidenced by how established processes and principles within the structure helped the membership navigate the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

u Division II values a strong student-athlete voice, both in the governance structure as well as in community to advocate for principles supporting equity, diversity and inclusion.

4 DIVISION II STRATEGIC PLAN ADDENDUM “This package of [NIL] recommendations What We Have Accomplished includes some very prominent and profound legislation to SPO 1 ACADEMICS AND LIFE SKILLS modernize Division II’s rules and policies, Goals u and they follow the Help Student-Athletes Earn Their Degrees NCAA Board of u Help Student-Athletes Obtain and Develop Leadership Skills Governors’ guiding u Help Student-Athletes Maintain Healthful and Productive Lifestyles principles to ensure u Help Student-Athletes Engage with Their Communities student-athletes are Key initiatives either adopted or enhanced since the 2018 midterm assessment treated similarly to NIL Legislation. The Presidents Council endorsed proposals for the 2021 NCAA Convention to allow nonathlete students, student-athletes to benefit from their name, image and likeness by promoting athletically related work unless a compelling products and third-party commercial products. reason exists to Total Package Student-Athlete. The Division II SAAC has developed initiatives supporting the overarching goal called the “Total Package Student-Athlete”: differentiate.” u Total: Mental health. Break the stigma and inspire others to promote mental wellness. Chris Graham Commissioner of the u Package: Diversity and inclusion. Celebrate the diversity within athletics and promote inclusion to Rocky Mountain enhance the student-athlete experience. Athletic Conference u and chair of the Division II Student: Professional development. Prepare student-athletes for experiences and challenges in life Management Council after athletics. u Athlete: Love2Play. Encourage young athletes to play multiple sports and to have fun while they play. SAAC Super Region Conventions. Two Super Region conventions have been conducted already with great success, and while recent editions have been canceled due to the coronavirus, successors will be rescheduled soon to continue enhancing the student-athlete voice. Access for Nonqualifiers. Based on feedback from the Division II SAAC and Coaches Connection groups, the Presidents Council supported permissive legislation to allow access to institutional athletics aid and access to practice to all incoming freshman student-athletes and two-year college transfers, regardless of their initial-eligibility status. The rationale centers on the importance of student-athletes staying connected to their teams and how that can factor into mental health.

DIVISION II STRATEGIC PLAN ADDENDUM 5 SPO 2 ATHLETICS OPERATIONS AND COMPLIANCE Goals u Help Campuses and Conferences Maintain Engaged and Function Athletics Operations u Help Campuses and Conferences Maintain Engaged and Function Compliance Operations

Key initiatives either adopted or enhanced since the 2018 midterm assessment Division II University. After a successful first year using DII U to administer the required annual coaches certification, four courses on NCAA rules and one on health and safety will be added. Additional future modules will target other Division II constituents, including courses on gameday operations and customer service, as well as courses directed at faculty athletics representatives. Coaches Connection. Connectors have now been established for nearly all Division II championship sports to provide coaches with a forum for sharing information, sharing their voice in policy and decision making, and advocating for the values of Division II.

SPO 3 DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION Goals u Help Campuses and Conferences Create Diverse and Inclusive Environments u Build Environments at the NCAA National Office and within the Governance Structure in which Diversity and Inclusion are Recognized and Valued Key initiatives either adopted or enhanced since the 2018 midterm assessment Diversity/Inclusion Designee. Legislation was adopted at the 2020 Convention requiring each Division II school and conference to name a diversity and inclusion designee for athletics who will serve as the primary contact for diversity and inclusion information from the NCAA national office. Mentoring Program. Division II has enhanced a partnership with the Athletics Directors Association that targets aspiring ADs, particularly women and ethnic minorities, to advance their careers. The program now features one and one-half days at the NCAA national office in October and a follow-up session at the annual NACDA convention in June. Inclusion Forum. Division II will fund activation teams from approximately 40 institutions to attend the 2021 forum and develop institution-specific action plans to enhance diversity and inclusion on campus.

6 DIVISION II STRATEGIC PLAN ADDENDUM SPO 4 GAME DAY AND CHAMPIONSHIPS Goals u Provide Outstanding Division II Game Day Experiences at the Local, Conference and National Levels u Create Fair and Equitable Regional and National Competition Through Consistent Selection Criteria and Appropriate Access Key initiatives either adopted or enhanced since the 2018 midterm assessment National Championships Festivals. A representative task force appointed to review the festival experience submitted more than two dozen enhancements, including the establishment of a men’s and women’s basketball festival to be conducted in the “off year” of the normal festival rotation. Seeding at Finals. All team sport committees now seed teams advancing from the regionals to help ensure the best matchups at the final site. Neutrality. The division is conducting a pilot that allows preliminary-round hosts in select sports to conduct the same kinds of pregame promotions and celebrations they run during their regular-season home games before resuming “neutrality” during the actual competition. Game Day Ops. Division II established a partnership with the Disney Institute to promote excellent customer service among game day staff and improve the overall game environment at Division II contests.

SPO 5 MEMBERSHIP AND POSITIONING INITIATIVES Goals u Foster Fiscal Responsibility at the Local, Conference, Regional and National Levels u Continue Developing Member Institutions and Conferences that Support the Strategic Position and Philosophy of Division II Intercollegiate Athletics u Enhance the Public’s Knowledge and Appreciation of Division II Key initiatives either adopted or enhanced since the 2018 midterm assessment Long-Range Budget. The Division II Presidents Council approved a new long-range budget through 2032 that aligns the Division II revenue allocation with the NCAA’s 10-year financial plan and ensures the division’s future for the long term. What DII Can Do for You. Division II created a 12-page booklet and accompanying PowerPoint presentation to provide audiences – particularly those not familiar with the NCAA’s three-division composition – with a promotional summary of how Division II operates and what its members value. Division II Brand. As the Division II membership embraces the Make It Yours tagline and the Life in the Balance philosophy to help student-athletes make the Division II experience their own through academics, athletics, community engagement and more, the division continues to explore unique ways to promote both for the membership and prospective student-athletes.

DIVISION II STRATEGIC PLAN ADDENDUM 7 Foundation for the Future How Division II Presidents and Chancellors Helped Ensure the Success of the Division II Strategic Plan

Among the most important decisions the Division II Presidents And while not everyone involved could have predicted it at the Council made in 2015 when adopting the Division II Strategic Plan time, many of these programs have been so successful that they was to sufficiently fund it. As all presidents and chancellors are are now intertwined permanently within the Division II fabric. Five aware, strategic initiatives require financial support to be effective. in fact have been approved to continue being funded as part of the Division II base budget even after the Foundation for the Accordingly, the Presidents Council committed $5.7 million through Future allocation ends in the 2020-21 fiscal year. the course of the strategic plan to fund a 10-program “Foundation for the Future” initiative that would become an integral component of the Division II Strategic Plan moving forward.

Programs Now Part of the Division II Base Budget:

DIVISION II UNIVERSITY The immediate goal was for “DII U” to replace the antiquated annual coaches certification exam, a proposal that was resoundingly approved at the 2019 NCAA Convention. DII U was much preferred because of its interactive and easy-to-access courses that creatively and more practically educated constituents on everything from recruiting and eligibility rules and governance to improving student-athlete health and wellness. Since then, DII U has literally changed the way members understand and follow Division II operating procedures and principles.

Coaches Connection Program COACHES CONNECTION EXPANSION Coaches Connection Program Making the

As was the case with Division II University, the Coaches Connection program was but a fledgling Coaches serve a critical role Connection!– not only for the student-athletes they develop, but also for Join the Movement!WHYthe TO overall BE advancement INVOLVED of NCAA Division II. Their voice makes Division II better! • NetworkingMembership – The outreach entirety of andthe coaching a division-wide body is census indicated that coaches were unfamiliar HOW TO BE INVOLVED represented and informed, along with key administra- withtors and Division conference II governance commissioners. processes Coaches gain and a the ways decisions were being made. That’s why See the list at • Know the Connector! Divisionfull understanding II established of the Division the Coaches II governance Connection and Program to enhance coaches’ engagement ncaa.org/governance?division=d2 andlegislative fortify processes,their role philosophy, as advocates platform, for strategic the value of Division II athletics. The more coaches for contact information. plan, and priorities. in 2015, having been established in 2012-13 as a pilot program for football and women’s volleyball. know about Division II and its structure, the more they can positively influence how we • Know the Coaches Circle representatives! Com- conduct• Engagement our sports – Coaches programs. are asked for their perspec- municate regularly with these individuals to clarify tive and share information with a wider base, which issues and concerns. encourages a more collective voice. Coaches’ points of view are better articulated, and information is • Be informed and inform others! Make sure you HOW IT WORKS shared with a broader audience. receive reports from the monthly calls and send them Each Division II sport has a “Connector” to people who may benefit from the information. – More coaches have input regarding deci- coach or• Inclusionan administrator) who oversees a “Coaches Circle” sions that directly affect them; they better understand The pilot’s initial success warranted an expansion in 2014-15 to include men’s and women’s tennis Join the team! Ask your conference commissioner that includes a representative from(usually every acon former- • ference sponsoring that sport. how you can become a member of the Coaches Circle. the Division II philosophy, how the division’s balancedConnectors approach factors into policy making, and how they bers and conferenceprovide commissioners;call reports to Coaches Coaches Circle Circle mem mem-- The Connectorcan conducts advocate monthlyfor the value teleconferences of Division II athletics. (about 10 annually) with the Coaches Circle to address bers send the reports to coaches in their conference; and conference commissioners send the reports to conference current issues• Results impacting – The their program sport and promotes legislative effective pro- and directors of athletics and senior woman administrators. posals or policyvalued recommendations communication being among considered stakeholders, with- in the Division IIresulting governance in decisions structure. that Also enhance participating the Division ConnectorsII also: and men’s and women’s soccer. Now, after having been part of the Foundation for the Future effort, in the monthly calls:student-athlete experience. • Encourage coaches to participate in NCAA • The sport committee chair and the sport committee service. manager from the NCAA championship and alliances staff join to better under • Create a relationship with the sport’s na- stand issues or suggested opportunities tional coaches association and attend the for change. - annual coaches convention. Coaches Connection encompasses nearly all Division II championship sports and is among the most • Liaisons from NCAA academic and • Attend Division II championships to meet membership affairs serve as a resource with coaches and participate in community regarding legislation, future academic re- engagement activities. quirements, transfer policies, etc.

• Coaches association representatives provide a more global perspective from the coaching body. transformative programs in Division II history. Connectors Division II governanceshare information committees, from including NCAA the Championships Committee, Legislation Committee, Playing Rules Oversight Panel, Academic Requirements Committee, Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports, Management Council, Presidents Council and others.

NCAA and Make It Yours are trademarks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. NCAA Photos Archive and Shutterstock

8 DIVISION II STRATEGIC PLAN ADDENDUM Programs Receiving One-Time Funding Through the FFF:

Academic Metrics Review. This grant allowed Division II to review metrics for academic success, improve the accuracy of data collection and SAAC SUPER REGION CONVENTION strengthen the foundation upon which The Foundation for the Future initiative focused on academic policy decisions are made. enhancing student-athletes’ roles in the governance structure as well. While the Division II Student-Athlete

Advisory Committee participates annually at the NCAA Degree-Completion Awards. Convention, the Super Region conventions provide a A total of $440,000 was distributed convention experience for conference and institutional to provide additional funding to SAACs. That means even more student-athletes can student-athletes who have exhausted participate in the governance structure and better their athletics eligibility to help them understand issues affecting all Division II complete their undergraduate degrees. student-athletes. Helper Helper. Helper Helper is an

Your volunteer management platform that provides the simplest solution for PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR online community engagement coordinating & tracking your school's community engagement efforts. ADD VOLUNTEER EVALUATE YOUR platform that institutions used to OPPORTUNITIES EXPERIENCE Using Helper Helper’s Use the data to improve the cloud-based portal, simply volunteer opportunities you add volunteer provide. Get feedback from opportunities to be MOBILIZE YOUR students and community CREATE YOUR viewed by all of your VOLUNTEERS groups. Continually engage ATHLETICS DIRECTORS students or smaller, your volunteers with top COMMUNITY segmented groups. From the tip of their finger organizations and causes in connect student-athletes to meaningful ENGAGEMENT and right on their phones, your community. volunteers sign up for events ACCOUNT and get email and app Work alongside a notifications reminding them community engagement to attend. The program for first-year Division II athletics directors expert, answer some basic questions, and set goals You’ll love how easy it is to around key partnerships get students participating volunteer experiences and log their and community impact. when all of their options are has helped new ADs to hit the ground running. in one place on the app. community engagement efforts. How to Register visit www.helperhelper.com Originally, programming was limited to one-half day *follow the "Click to Register Your School" Link at the annual NCAA Convention, but the program has been upgraded to feature one and one-half days at the Transportation for Community www.helperhelper.com NCAA national office in October (in conjunction with Engagement. This FFF grant provided the existing D2 ADA and CCA meetings there at bus transportation to Division II that time) and a follow-up session at the annual championships for community members NACDA convention in June. who participate in community engagement events. NAAC EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING The Foundation for the Future initiative allowed Conference Distribution. Each the National Association for Athletics Compliance conference received a one-time to provide Division II schools and conferences 2018 -19 distribution of $50,000 to support division NCAA ® an interactive educational training program ii MANUAL initiatives in academics, broadcast/

EFFECTIVE to help administrators maintain ethical AUGUST 1, 2018 promotions, officiating improvement compliance programs. and branding efforts.

DIVISION II STRATEGIC PLAN ADDENDUM 9 Division II in Action Key Players DIVISION II ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE Part of why Division II managed its affairs as efficiently as it did during the COVID-19 outbreak was because members Allison Garrett and national office staff relied on an already proven governance structure and budgetary principles and procedures President, Emporia State University implemented previously to handle challenges. While the pandemic was unprecedented, Division II’s call to action was not. Sandra Jordan Chancellor, University of South Carolina Aiken Here’s a high-level overview: Elwood Robinson March June-July Chancellor, Winston-Salem State University Chris Graham u NCAA cancels winter and spring sport championships. u Governance and sport committees convene regularly to Commissioner, Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference discuss fall sport championships. u Division II Administrative Committee (AdCom) acts immediately Jim Johnson to mitigate concerns. Director of Athletics, Pittsburg State University August Courtney Lovely Evans Director of Athletics, Palm Beach Atlantic University April-May u Amidst ongoing health and safety concerns, the Division II Presidents Council announces that fall sport championships u AdCom meets weekly to address needs. DIVISION II CCA OFFICERS will not be conducted during 2020-21. u Presidents Council addresses projected budget shortfall via Erin Lind u AdCom again convenes quickly to provide flexibility for fall Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference previously established processes. sport student-athletes. Tom Daeger u Weekly calls added with CCA and ADA Officers, as well as Great Midwest Athletic Conference CCACA officers. September-December Dan Mara u Communication network deployed to update/educate the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference u Governance and sport committees convene regularly to membership via email, SAAC, Coaches Connection, social Matt Wilson media and webinars. manage winter and spring sport championship logistics, Gulf South Conference including additional seasons of competition for winter sport student-athletes who compete during 2020-21. DIVISION II ADA OFFICERS Chris Ratcliff Rogers State University Decision Process Presidents Joel Smith Council Chadron State College Leadership Bren Stevens Input University of Charleston (West Virginia) Kim Pate Membership Administrative Planning/Finance Lenoir-Rhyne University Committee Kirby Garry Concerns Committee California State University, Monterey Bay Staff Recommendations CCACA CO-LEADS Management Melissa Reilly Council East Coast Conference Ellen O’Brien Balancing the Budget Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference

THE PRINCIPLES THE BOTTOM LINE Maintain a cash reserve comprising at least 70% FY20 Budget-to-Actual While the division’s revenue allo- of the annual operating revenue. The reserve cation was far less than originally comes from: Division II Allocation-Based Revenue $9,542,392 budgeted, the projected expenses „ The prior year’s cash reserve; were reduced from the cancellation Other Non-DII Revenue „ The current year’s budget surplus; and $15,082,500 of championships. The division also received the $15 million in „ $15 million event cancellation Surplus $1,694,164 event cancellation insurance insurance policy for the DI Men’s Basketball coverage, which helped mitigate Championship. Expenses $31,248,428 10 the impact of the DIVISIONpandemic onII STRATEGIC the PLAN ADDENDUM TOTAL ($4,929,372) 2020 fiscal year budget. Next Steps Strategic Planning Timeline JANUARY 2021 TO AUGUST 2021 Facilitate strategic planning discussions for the new plan and gather feedback from committees and associations. SUMMER TO FALL 2021 From feedback and discussions, create questions for the 2022 Division II Census. JANUARY 2022 Launch the new census with the membership. APRIL 2022 Management and Presidents Councils review census results. MAY 2022 TO APRIL 2023 Use census results to facilitate changes to the strategic plan. JULY/AUGUST 2023 Management and Presidents Councils approve the plan. JANUARY 2024 Launch the new strategic plan at the NCAA Convention.

DIVISION II STRATEGIC PLAN ADDENDUM 11 NCAA, Elite 90, Make It Yours and SSI are trademarks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. All other licenses are the property of their respective holders.